Turnstile



@Ct. 17, 1939. B QDELL 2,176,848

TURNSTILE Filed March 4, 1937 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 TURNSTILE Herbert B. Odell, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application March 4, 1937, Serial No. 129,000 In Canada March 10, 1936 8 Claims.

This invention relates to" turnstiles used for controlling gateways or passages of various kinds. These turnstiles are usually mounted upon a vertical axis and have the objection that as much space is occupied by the returning side of the rotating barrier as is occupied by the passage side. A further objection to turnstiles as at present constructed is that users have a habit of pushing the barrier arm part way and then passing around the end of the arm, and thus leaving the arm in the midway position.

Briefly then my objects are to devise a turnstil-e which will require a reduced space for operation and which will be provided with centering apparatus, which will come into action before the barrier has travelled half of the movement between positions and cause the movement to be completed independently of any help from the person passing the turnstile. A further object is to provide a turnstile with means for positively stopping the barrier at the completion of each turn, but which, after stopping the barrier, will instantly be automatically released to permit the following personto pass the turnstile.

I attain my objects by means of the constructionhereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the turnstil-e, the housing being shown inthe section;

Fig. 2 a front view of the same;

Fig. 3 a top plan View of the control mechanism;

Fig. 4 a section on the line 4- 4 in Fig. 3.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The turnstile about to be described is intended particularly for one-way trafiic.

The turnstile is mounted on asuitable standard or pedestal, which in the present case is shown as a housing I on the rear wall of which a bracket 8 is secured.

Formed in this bracket is a bearing preferably of ball or other anti-friction type, for the spindle 3 of the rotating barrier. The axis of the spindle, instead of being vertical, is inclined at approximately 45 and carries on its lower end the armed barrier. This barrieris formed with a hub 5 from which extends equi-spaced arms 5, preferably three in number, which arms are arranged at approximately an angle of 45 to the axis of the spindle. As the result of this arrangement, it will be seen that as the barrier is rotated the arms are successively caused to extend in a horizontal plane across the passage when in barrier position and to extend downwardly when out of barrier position.

This downward direction of the inoperative barrier arms results in the turnstile occupying less space and enables the turnstiles to be positioned closer together when arranged in gangs.

As stated a further object of my invention is to provide means to ensure that the rotating barrier completes its movement as each person passes the turnstile. ing mechanism for this purpose.

I therefore provide the follow- On the upper side of the hub 5 are a plurality of pins or projections 1, one for each barrier arm 6, and preferably formed as rollers.

On an extension 9 of the bracket 8 is Slidably mounted in guides IS amember I l, which is normally held in the path of the projections l by a coil spring I2, one pin E3 on the end of the member I I end of which engages a bent and its other end is connected to the bracket 8. This member I l is cut away or bevelled ofi as shown at its rear corner, having reference to the direction of rotation of the barrier, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Pivoted intermediate its ends on the member i i is a lever l4, and the member H is provided with a shoulder or abutment IE5 at one side of the lever pivot which limits the rocking of the lever in one direction, while the member II at the other side of said pivot is shaped or cut away to permit the lever to rock in the opposite direction. A spring l5 tends to hold the lever in engagement with the shoulder l6, and in this position it will be seen that the forward edge of the member I l and the forward side of the lever are in alignment.

The

connection between the spring i5 and the lever I4 is of special construction, the lever being provided with a headed pin which is adapted to slide longitudinally in a long loop l5 formed at the end of said spring.

The movement of the member ll under the action of the spring l2 into the path of the rollers I is limited by the engagement of the bent pin :2

with the edge of thus said member the bracket extension 9, and l I is properly positioned to cooperate with the rollers I.

This part of the apparatus acts as follows: As the hub 5 is rotated one of the rollers I engages the end of the member H and pushes the latter out of its path, thus putting the spring l2 under greater tension, but decreasing the tension on the spring I5 until the tension on the latter is relieved altogether and the pin 2 moves along the loop 15*. the member The roller 1 travels along the end of H and also along the lever l4 and after the roller 1 passes the pivot point of the lever M, the latter is gradually rocked as indicated in dotted lines, this being possible due to the pin 2 being away from the end of the loop I5 of the spring I 5, the rocking, however, being controlled by the inclined part of the end of the member II with which the lever I4 is adapted to be alined when rocked. As the hub continues its travel, the roller 1 commences to move away from the member H, whereupon the spring l2, which is stronger than the spring l5 comes into action to return the member II to normal position and thus again put the spring l5 under tension. As the hub travels on, the roller 1 then commences to move away from the lever [4, but the latter under the influence of the spring 15 tends to keep the hub moving until the following barrier arm is in centered position.

To prevent the rotating barrier from reverse movement, a dog 4 is pivoted on the bracket 8, which dog is adapted to be pushed out of the way by the rollers and is adapted under its own weight to fall in behind the rollers after they have passed and prevent movement of the rotating barrier in the reverse direction. If desired spring means might be provided to ensure the dog returning to locking position. A stop I! is provided to limit the movement of the dog out of locking position.

It is also desirable to prevent spinning of the revolving barrier, and. I therefore provide the following mechanism for definitely stopping the barrier as each arm reaches the barrier position. Pivotally connected with the ends of a pivoted lever I8 is a stop member l9 and a cam member 26 slidable through holes in the bracket 8 in the path of the rollers 1. A spring 2i normally tends to hold the lever It? with the cam member 20 in operative position. The operation of this part of the mechanism is as follows. As one roller 1 leaves the lever M, the preceding roller 1 engages the inclined end of the cam member 20, forcing the latter out of the path of said roller, and thus through the lever l8 moving the stop I9 into the path of the first mentioned roller 1. The rotating barrier, which due to the action of the spring 15 on the lever i4, is travelling at a fairlyrapid rate and the roller 7 engages the stop I9 just as the arm reaches central barrier position and the movementof the barrier is definitely checked, the dog 4 at this time being positioned behind the following roller andthus preventing rebound.

The cam member 20 also serves to prevent rebound, as instantly after the barrier is stopped the lever [B is rocked by its control spring 26 to advance the cam member 20 and retract the stop is, and thus the barrier is in condition for turning by the following person.

It will be apparent, of course, that the various parts of the mechanism above described co-operate to achieve the desired result. The centering mechanism ensures that the rotary barrier will have sufiicient momentum to move it so that the following arm reaches central or barrier position, where the stop 19 stops the movement of the bar rier and the dog l6 prevents rebound, but after being stopped the barrier is immediately free for its next movement.

From the construction described it will be seen that I have devised a turnstile which will satisfactorily attain the objects of my invention as set out in the preamble of the specification.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon, and

' ranged at approximately 45 2. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon, and provided with engaging rollers corresponding in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; the axis of said barrier being arto the vertical and the arms on said barriers being arranged at approximately 45 to the said axis; a member slidable on said support; spring means tending to hold said member with one end in the path of said rollers; a lever pivoted on said member and projecting beyond means normally tending to rock the projecting end of said lever into the path of said rollers.

3. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon, and provided with engaging rollers corresponding'in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; and means 'for positively stopping movement of the barrier as each arm reaches barrier position comprising a pivoted lever, a cam member pivotally connected with one end of the lever; spring means normally tending to hold said lever with the cam member in the path of said rollers; and a stop member pivotally connected with the other end of said lever and adapted to be moved into the path of one of said rollers as the cam member is moved out of said path by another roller.

4.. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon and provided with engaging rollers corresponding in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; a member slidable on said support; spring means tending to hold said member with one end in the path of said rollers; said end having the portion of its end with which the rollers first engage arranged at right angles to its direction of movement and the remainder of its end inclined at an angle to said first mentioned portion; a lever pivoted on said member and projecting beyond one side of said slide; and spring means normally tending to rock the projecting end of said lever into the path of said rollers.

5. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon, and provided with engaging rollers corresponding in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; a member slidable on said support; spring means tending to hold said member with one end in the path of said rollers; a lever pivoted on said member, and projecting beyond one side of said slide; and spring means normally tending to rock the projecting end of said lever into the path of said rollers; said first mentioned spring means having greater strength than the last mentioned spring means.

6. In a turnstile, the combinationof a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon, and provided with engaging rollers corresponding in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; a member slidable on said support; spring means tending to hold said member with one end in the path of said rollers; a lever pivoted on said member and projecting beyond one side of said slide; and spring means normally tending to rock the projecting end of said lever into the path of said one side of said slide; and spring rollers, said last mentioned spring means and lever being connected by a pin and slot connection; said first mentioned spring means having greater strength than the last mentioned spring means.

'7. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon, and provided with engaging rollers corresponding in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; a member slidable on said support; spring means tending to hold said member with one end in the path of said rollers; a lever pivoted on said member, and projecting beyond one side of said slide; and spring means normally tending to rock the projecting end of said lever into the path of said rollers, said first mentioned spring means having greater strength than the last mentioned spring means, said last mentioned spring means and lever being connected by a pin and slot connection.

8. In a turnstile, the combination of a support; an armed barrier rotatably mounted thereon and provided with shoulders corresponding in number and spacing with the arms of the barrier; and means for positively stopping movement of the barrier as each arm reaches barrier position, comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said support; a cam member slidable through the support in a direction parallel to the axis of the barrier and pivotally connected with one end of the lever; spring means normally tending to hold said lever with the cam member in the path of said shoulders; and a stop also slidable through the support in a direction parallel to the axis of the barrier and pivotally connected with the other end of said lever and adapted to be moved into the path of said shoulders as the cam is moved out of said path by another shoulder; and a dog normally occupying a position in the path of said shoulders to prevent backward movement of the barrier, but adapted to be moved out of said position by said shoulders during their forward movement.

HERBERT B. ODELL. 

